Watchman&#39;s clock.



No. 857,502. PATBNTED JUNE 18, 1907.

I R. VOGELMANN.

WATGHMANS CLOCK.

APPLIOATION FILED ILL 19, 1908.

In: NGR'RIS PETERS 60., WASHINGTON. D. C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WATCHMANS CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1907.-

A ligaigu m March 19,1906. Serial No. 306,937-

To 00% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, REINHARD VOGEL- MANN, a citizen of the German Empire, residing at Stuttgart, in the Kingdom of urtemberg, Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVatclmrans Clocks, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention has for its object a check clock which differs from known clocks employed for similar purposes, in that the marking on the check figure sheet does not take place by turning a key with angular or elbowed wards, but by means of a key without wards being simply inserted in the keyhole. Devices are also provided by which only a perfect marking can be effected, the same being audibly indicated, and also unauthorized marking prevented.

The check clocks hitherto employed operated by means of keys with wards have the drawback that in order to mark by turning the key a considerable expenditure of power is necessary, in consequence of the arrangement of the marking numbers on the outer face of the key wards, and thereby the wards are easily bent and may eventually be 011- tirely broken off. The wards also have a spring action whereby sure, clearly visible, marking is impeded. Further it is never known with certainty whether the marking has actually taken place. The previous arrangement of springs over the key wards with the object of insuring a certain engagement of the figures on the key wards with the matrix figure corresponding to it, has not been found effective as the springs rapidly wore down and did not have the desired ef fect. All these drawbacks are removed by the present invention.

According to this invention a key without wards is employed having a guide corresponding to the key, which guide stands at right angles to the figure sheet behind which as support for the marking figures located on the end of the key, a counter plate is ar ranged. On this support the matrix marks necessary for the marking are permanently or removably arranged, which matrix marks fit those of the key. A tapering projection or bar is arranged on the key against which a roller arranged on the end of the spring presses, which after the complete insertion of I the key, that is to say, after the marking has been completely effected, springs back audibly and thereby indicates that the marking has taken place.

In the above mentioned bar, a groove is formed, running parallel to the key shaft, in which groove the roller runs back when the key is drawn out. At the inner end of the keyhole, a safety plate is arranged, which covers the latter and which when the key is inserted is pushed aside by an oblique projection on it and thereby allows access of the key to the counter plate.

The object of the invention is shown as an example in one form of construction in the accompanying drawings; in which Figure 1 is a side view, Fig. 2, a view at right angles to Fig. 1, of the mechanism taken out of the case; Fig. 8 shows a front and side view of the clockwork plate (locking disk), provided with the small safety plate; Fig. 4, similar views of the key; and Fig. 5, the matrix seen from the keyhole side.

A guide 6 for the key is formed on the locking disk a of the mechanism of the check clock, which guide has a sectional form corresponding to that of the key and is provided on one side with a suitable recess 0 for the bar of the key, which recess is continued in the locking disk a of the clockwork. In this recess a slide roller 0 on the end of a spring (1 lies, which roller 6 when the key Z is inserted in the clock rolls over the obliquely inclined bar a of the key and by dropping behind the bar indicates that the marking figure of the key has correctly engaged in the corresponding matrix mark of the counter plate f arranged on the locking disk a, that is to say that the marking has been correctly completed.

In order to prevent unauthorized marking, a safety plate 71 is arranged over the inner end of the keyhole and covers the same, which plate t is located on the end of a circular spring 7L and is laterally displaceable along with the latter. Before any marking can be done, this plate must be laterally displaced by the insertion of the key. For this object a conical projection t, against which when the key is inserted a conical recess 1) formed on its inner end acts, is located on the safety plate 'i, whereby the projection 2i and thereby the safety plate 1' is laterally displaced and the passage aperture 7! in the plate g is un covered.

The key Zhas preferably a rectangular section, and at its lower end projections or recesses m are formed representing letters or figures which correspond with suitably arranged recesses and projections of the counter plate f. A conically tapering bar it is arranged on the side of the key and the roller 6 running on this bar drops from off it on to the key plate as soon as the marking figure or numeral of the key has engaged in the corresponding matrix of the support plate, that is to say as soon as the marking has been completely eflected.

A laterally rising groove 0 is arranged in the bar n to allow of the return of the slide roller when the key is Withdrawn. The check figure sheet (1 is fixed 011 the clockwork arbor r in the ordinary way by means of a pressure stud, screw nut s or the like, and rests on the plate 9.

The clock is operated in the following manner :The watchman pushes the key into the keyhole whereby the spring mounted roller 6 is moved over the inclined projecting bar a and the safety plate i caused to expose the aperture 7c of the plate 9 for the passage of the key, by the action of the inclined surface p of the key on the projection 25 of the plate 71. Only when the roller 6 falls back from the bar it on the key shank has the key entirely completed the marking on the figure sheet. An incomplete marking is thereby prevented. On withdrawing the key the roller 6 moves back along the groove 0, while the spring h returns the safety plate again to its normal position covering the keyhole.

Having now particularly described. and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. A check clock having a marking disk support, stationary matrix or type faces, a marking key the end of which is adapted to force the disk against the matrix, a key guide, a safety plate or guard normally closing the guide and provided with. a tapering projection to be engaged by one side of the key, a spring carrying said plate, a tapered projection on the opposite side of the key, and a spring actuated member engaging against said projection and serving to give an audible signal when the key is fully inserted, the two springs bearing in opposing directions against the sides of the key.

2. A check clock having a key guide, a key adapted to be inserted therein, said key having a grooved projection the outer face of which is tapered, and a spring held roller arranged to engage the outer face of the projection as the key is inserted, or to traverse the groove as the key is withdrawn.

In testimony whereof I ail'lix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

REINHARD VOGELMANN. 

